general lee

You can buy a police radio and start talking up there if you want to. But don't be surprised when the police "object" to your presence and come looking for you! Along with an FCC agent. Same if you decide to go into 28 MHZ. Those frequencies "belong" to the hams, and they will come looking for you! They don't have to say a thing to you: just FIND you, document your activity and turn it over to FCC. That's how a bunch of truckers who thought they were "big and bad" and "nobody couldn't tell them they couldn't talk on 10 Meters" found out different.

What outlaws do outside the ham bands is of no concern to the hams, but if you come in uninvited, you WILL eventually get caught and STOPPED! It could cost you BIG BUCKS! Is it REALLY worth it? I could sure use $16,000 for other things besides a "donation" to the federal government!

GF

 

Gadfly ...

The same people tell you they will defend there homes with deadly force tell you they have a right to take things from others .....

Go figure .....

 

That's what gets me. No other group of radio users in our country "filches" frequencies from other users that I know of, but it seems to be a peculiar trait amongst some CB users to go out of their way to break the law--far more than the occasional rogue ham that does it. The ham will get his fingers "caught" in the mousetrap very quickly because he is better documented than CBers, and because other hams won't put up with "outlaw"-type hams. That is what keeps the amateur bands much cleaner and more organized than the ruckus often found on 11 Meters.

SOME (certainly not all) CBers, and a larger majority of them than within the ham community, believe it is OK to ignore Part 95 because, 1) they can get away with it, 2) they have a "right" to them channels because they are somehow entitled to 'em simply because they were born or sum'pin. And when the hams object to finding them on 10 Meters, for example, they react by attacking the hams for turning them in or seeking them out for prosecution, calling them "stuck-up" old fuddy duddies (or other insults). We both know the outlaws use their so-called and crappy "10 Meter 'amateur' radios' to get more power and illegal "channels", and they are shocked that them hams would DARE to question their presence on the 10 Meter band. How DARE they turn me in for tawkin' on them special channels---buncha old farts with nothing to do but rat people out.

Well, if the fellas who have no business THERE to start with would stay OUT of 10 Meters, the "old farts" wouldn't turn them IN.

It IS a double standard. Laws are there to protect people. The outlaws think they have a "right" to extra channels that BELONG to someone else, but if someone breaks in their truck and TAKES something from THEM, AH HA! It's (to them) "different". "Ah ain't a-hurtin' nuttin' a-tawkin' on them extra channels and I got a right cuz I am a 'citizen'. You are hurting the OTHER guy who followed the law for the privilege of using that frequency because you are taking the ability of that person, who has MORE right than YOU do, to use what he got permission for----same as the THIEF that took something out of your truck while at the truck stop! IOW, you are being deprived of something useful same as the hams who are being deprived of use by unlicensed perps who show up on 10 Meters!!! Nope, there's no wonder the hams get p#### over it and turn people in. Are you gonna tell me you aren't gonna call the cops and report the theft from your truck?

If I had my way (and I don't) they'd seize ALL illegal "export" radios, make a stack as high as the empire state bldg and set 'em afire. IF people would just stay ON the CB band where they belong, nobody would say a word, I don't think, so long as they stay OUT of others' assignments.

GF

 

I'm going to pretend I'm a truck driver and try to step into their shoes regarding this...

Well you know Gadfly, I know not everyone who buys an export does it to get on the 10 meter band and cause issues. In fact I believe most buy exports because they want the echo, roger beep, blue LED's, the extra power and all the other bells and whistles that typically cost more to have done to a true CB radio such as a Cobra 29 LTD as opposed to buying a radio with all of that stuff included in it.

(I know you're next going to question "why would someone want echo and roger beep on their radio" but that's another story for the trucker that spends days and weeks on end in his cab and just wants to have a "toy" to mess with. And the extra power is to compensate for not being able to use the best antennas due to height restrictions and how the antennas are mounted)

Anyways fact is they buy the export radio due to it having everything they want (for less than it would cost to convert their Cobra 29 LTD to) and not really knowing what the band switch is for, and that if accidentally flipped puts them from 27.185 MHz (Ch 19 on CB) to 28.085 MHz (lower end of the 10 meter Morse code ham area). And so they call out to someone for whatever reason not realizing they're in Ham territory and BAM they get caught and issued a warning from the FCC.

Of course I'm sure there are a few that know about the 10 meter band and could care less about who's right it is to use it, because in their mind they have accessibility and believe it's impossible to catch a mobile, and I know you've pointed out that is not so, but I believe this is really a small amount of export radio users.

Now I understand exports (Connex, General Lee, Galaxy 2 digit series, RCI, Superstar, Stryker, etc.) are not legal to operate in the U.S. BUT in my opinion, if the radio when purchased, if the band switch were removed, and then hardwired so that only access the buyer had was the 11 meter band (meaning there is no way in hell he could flip a switch and possibly get on the 10 meter band), it would eliminate most of the intruders on the 10 meter band.

And I'm sure most CB shops could hard wire the band switch so it only transmits on 11 meters as they have to convert the radio over to work on 11 meters anyways. Why they don't is beyond me. I've heard it's a money issue but really how hard is it to do this mod? Heck you could just remove the switch all together and in it's place install a dimmer switch for the LED's since people often complain about the blue being too bright at night.

Think about it....trucker Joe could own a Connex that would have the roger beep, echo, blue lights, power....and all the goodies, but he couldn't possibly get on the 10 meter band because the radio would be permanently on the 11 meter band. It would be a win-win situation for everyone I think.

If any CB techs are reading this, please take this into consideration.

Ok I'm done playing devil's advocate now.

 

As a 40-yr-FCC-licensed commercial tech, 45-yr-CB'er, and 50-yr ham (20 wpm Extra), who enjoys all aspects of RF communications *except* the strife, I say to Turbo "Hear, hear!"
And to Gadfly: Please, dude, lay off. You're just embarrassing everyone. Someplace here I've got a toy fire helmet with a flashing red light and siren on the top. I'll send it to you if you like.
-- Handlebar --

 

It's the operator not the radio ......EXPORT sets don't go on 10 meters unless someone puts them there ....

Gosh .....

CODE .....

It's been 40 years since i used it back in my moonbounce days .....

Your a 50 year licensed ham ? I'm at 47 right now and a ARRL member for more than 40 and the old FCC 1st class in the late 60 after finshing electronic school ....

What bands do you work ????? This weekend is the ARRL VHF contest i have not missed one for 45 years .....

 

Yuppers. First licensed as wn4ant. Test was given by Ben Team, w4dx, in Camden, SC. I passed the test just before my 9th birthday, but it didn't come in the mail until I'd turned 9 (no instant licensing then). 5 wpm Novice, 80, 40, & 15 cw only, and 145-147 AM.
Built first TX, a 6v6gt and handwound coils for 40 and 80. ARC/5 receivers.
I'm just now putting up a new 360-ft loop at 60 feet, balanced feeders, for 10-80.
I hate contests. I'd rather ragchew, and don't have a VHF/UHF array up yet, just a dual band copper J-pole I made for repeaters. ICARS is local club; we do Field Day, and I help at that.
73,
-- Handlebar --
diddly dahdidah
dit dididit di9

 

I don't remember my novice call since I was quick and over in a year .... but I got to use my tech ticket alot .....
Boy do I remember the 6V6 and the 807 also 1625 based transmiters and the ruggid 829B tubes we built linears for 6 and 2 meters with ... The 5894's would go up to 440 mhz and used the same socket as a 829 .....

Yep the good old days of SCR-522's, ARC-3, ARC-5 BC-348's and on and on .......

Remember the lunch boxes ????? simple but worked like a champ .... How about the 807 CW transmiters for novice with a ft-243 xtal socket Yep we were rock bound in those days ..... I still have a limited amount of the older gear much of my time is on 2 SSB today but I have CW filters in my radios ( FT-100D, FT-840 ) DSP boxes for the radios that don't have them and digital modes just to mix things up a bit ......

Just some quick shots from the past ......

 

When or where did they issue instant licenses? Other than upgrades.

 

HAHAHAHA....THANK YOU for the hand-out to Gadfly!!! Couldn't have said it better myself, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to try!